originally posted by: duaneology
I just seem to notice an active effort by a number of ATS posters to discredit and belittle anything and everything posted here along with this
section’s regular contributors. .....
It makes me feel like an attempt is being made to have the topic viewed as fringe and flaky as possible. ....
Your thoughts?
I think the answer to your questions really depends on the reason why each of us comes here?
There are certainly a few who just want their beliefs re-affirmed and cannot take the heat when the evidence (or lack of it) is questioned. For these
people it’s very much like a religion and they simply don’t want to hear anything that may challenge that belief.
There are the star catchers and flag fliers who simply crave attention and don’t necessarily pay attention to the detail of what they are posting.
Being first to quote news pieces or post a Youtube video is all that matters as that means stars and flags for them. Their effort is minimal but their
own (perceived) rewards are important to them.
Then there are others who have experienced something they can’t explain and are looking for an answer. Perhaps when those answers do not conform to
their own view they perceive other posters as de-bunkers or ‘shills’.
However I do think the majority of posters in these forums do genuinely hold an interest in the topic and are looking for something concrete to get
their teeth into. There are some who are highly sceptical and others who are more convinced by the evidence presented.
I have come to respect the views of a number of posters with these differing views (many have posted in this very thread) and sometimes we’ve
debated hard with each other. But they have actually looked at the evidence available and made their own minds up.
So why do I come here?
Well my interest began as a kid when I used to read things like “The Unexplained” magazine and a few books back in the late 1970s and 1980s. I
definitely thought that there must be something at the route of the subject and still haven’t changed that point of view. Even if I tend not to
believe that aliens are visiting the planet every night of the week.
In the digital age I lurked on ATS for a long, long time and learned a little every now and again. One day I thought maybe I could have a bash at
writing a thread or two. It certainly can be hard work maintaining one. But every now and again someone unexpectedly pops up and offers another
little piece of that jigsaw puzzle for you. This has happened in a couple of my threads.
However I really enjoy it when something like this thread turns up from cuckooold:
The Gulf Breeze Saga (Part II) : UFOs, the Gulf Breeze 6, and the End of the World
This wasn’t really a topic I knew a whole lot about but it did intrigue me. A whole group of us joined in and turned up a lot of information on what
may be a minor, but very peculiar case. One guy was even familiar with the people concerned and joined in on the thread. OK we didn’t solve it but
it was certainly interesting to follow and join in with the thread as it developed.
Even if it is a fairly rare occurrence, that to me, is the essence of ATS.
edit on 21/10/14 by mirageman because: correction